       Document 0111
 DOCN  M9590111
 TI    Myelopathies in Ethiopia.
 DT    9509
 AU    Zenebe G; Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Addis
       Ababa; University, Ethiopia.
 SO    East Afr Med J. 1995 Jan;72(1):42-5. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE
       MED/95300728
 AB    From December 1990 to December 1993, 130 patients who had a lesion
       localized to the spinal cord were admitted to the Tikur Anbessa
       Hospital, Department of Internal Medicine, Addis Ababa. These patients
       accounted for 18.0% of all neurological admission to this department.
       The male/male female ratio was 1:8:1; the mean age was 40 years for
       these patients; 52% were from Addis Ababa City and 48% of them were
       coming from the rest of the country. Paraparesis or paraplegia (77%) and
       quadriparesis or quadriplegia (23%) were the commonest presenting
       complaints. Sensory level, sphincter dysfunction and bedsores were found
       in 70%, 54% and 14% of the cases respectively. Tuberculous spondylitis
       was found to be the leading cause accounting for 35 (26.9%), and HIV-1
       myelopathies was the second common type accounting for 22 (16.9%) of
       spinal cord disease. Metastatic cord compression, tropical spastic
       paraparesis, (progressive non compressive myelopathy), cervical
       spondylosis, primary cord tumours and transverse myelitis were also not
       uncommon. Death related to sepsis or other causes were documented in 14
       (10.8%). Follow-up was arranged on discharge, and only 45 (38.8%)
       patients were able to attend at least once the neurology referral
       clinic. Myelopathy is an important neurological disease and currently
       HIV-1 associated myelopathy has become the second important presumed
       cause.
 DE    Adolescence  Adult  Aged  Ethiopia  Female  Follow-Up Studies
       Hospitalization/TRENDS  Human  Male  Middle Age  Spinal Cord
       Diseases/*ETIOLOGY/THERAPY  Treatment Outcome  JOURNAL ARTICLE

       SOURCE: National Library of Medicine.  NOTICE: This material may be
       protected by Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.Code).

